Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 19
PSALM XIX.
Verſ. 1. THe heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work.] That is, it makes known whoſe handy-work it is, even the work of an all-wiſe and almighty God; to wit, in that it ſheweth how accurately and admirably in every regard it is made; and conſequently it ſheweth what God can doe, and how admirable he is in all his works. The ſame may be ſaid concerning all the creatures: but becauſe the heavens are the chief of the creatures, and moſt glorious, but eſpecially becauſe they are ſeen by all men in the world, as is afterwards expreſſed verſ. 3, 4. which other creatures are not, therefore he mentions theſe above others.
Verſ. 2. Day unto day uttereth ſpeech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.] Some learned Expoſitours underſtand it thus; that day after day, and night after night, or as one day and one night ſucceeds another, they do proclaim the power and goodneſſe and wiſedome of God; there is not a day nor night that do not thus glorifie God: and the chief thing intended hereby they hold to be, that the orderly and conſtant ſucceſſion of day and night in their ſeverall times, cauſed by the ſet courſe and revolution of the heavenly orbs, doth clearly make known the power and providence of God. But becauſe in the following words he ſtill ſpeaks of the heavens, and eſpecially becauſe of this expreſſion, Day unto day, and night unto night, the full drift of the words I conceive to be this; that day and night, or the heavens, by the diſcovery that is made of them both by day and night, do unceſſantly without intermiſſion inſtructus concerning the wiſedome, and other the glorious attributes of God; for thoſe words (sheweth knowledge) may comprehend both 1. that they diſcover Gods wiſedome and knowledge, and 2. that they teach us to know God. And becauſe the day and night do glide away, and there is a conſtant ſucceſſion of each of them, therefore David expreſſeth himſelf in a kind of poeticall elegancy; as if when one day had ſounded forth the glory of God, it did then deliver over to the following day the following on of the ſ…me work, and when one night had as it were ſung a hymne in the praiſe of God, it ſhould ſpeak to the following night to take its turn likewiſe in doing the ſame.
Verſ. 3. There is no ſpeech nor language, where their voice is not heard.] As if he had ſaid, Whereas men cannot ſpeak their minds to thoſe that are of another nation and language, that cannot underſtand the language they ſpeak; at leaſt though they be men that can ſpeak ſeverall languages, yet they cannot ſpeak at one time to ſeverall men in their ſeverall languages: it is otherwiſe with the heavens; for they make known the glory of God at one and the ſame time to all nations, and they all do hear and underſtand their language. For the word here tranſlated heard, there is no ſpeech nor language where their voice is not heard, doth alſo ſignifie underſtood; and ſo it is render'd 2 Kings 18.26.
Verſ. 4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, &c.] By their line may be meant, 1. their delineation or fabrick, framed exactly as it were by line or by rule, according to that which is ſpoken concerning the earth, Job 38.5. Who hath layed the meaſures thereof, if thou knoweſt? or who hath ſtretched the line upon it? and this is ſaid to be gone out through all the earth, becauſe it may be beheld all the earth over, and is that whereby all the earth may be inſtructed concerning the glory of God: or 2. their writing, or direction, or precept, according as the word is again uſed Eſ…. 28.10. for precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, &c. and ſo the heavens are compared to an open book written fairly with lines of great capitall letters; and becauſe all the inhabitants of the earth may be directed and taught thereby what to think of God, therefore it is ſaid that their line or writing is gone out through all the earth. The Septuagint, having more reſpect to the ſenſe of the place, then to the word in the Hebrew, have render'd it, Their ſound went into all the earth; and ſo the Apoſtle hath cited it, Rom. 10.18. The great queſtion concerning theſe words is, how the Apoſtle cites them in that place where he is ſpeaking of the preaching of the Goſpel, ſeeing it is evident that David ſpeaks here of Gods diſcovering his glory to all nations by the heavens? Now to this it is anſwered by ſome, that under the hiſtoricall narration of the heavens and their ſound, is a hid prophecy of the Apoſtles preaching of the Goſpel: and this they hold the more probable, becauſe in the later part of the Pſalm David ſpeaks ſo much in the commendation of the written word. But there are two other anſwers given that are more ſatisfactory. The firſt is, that the Apoſtle alledgeth the words in the ſenſe that David intended them, to wit, as ſpoken concerning the language of the heavens, and that as drawing an argument from thence to prove the preaching of the Goſpel to the Gentiles; But I ſay, have they not heard? yes verily, their ſound went into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world: as if he ſhould have ſaid, Have not the Jews heard? or, have not the Gentiles heard? or, why ſhould it ſeem ſo ſtrange, that the Goſpel ſhould be preached to the Gentiles? we ſee that God hath from the beginning of the world made known himſelf to all the world by the book or voice of the Creatures, ſufficiently to render them inexcuſable; and why may we not as well think that he will alſo reveal the Goſpel to all nations? yea why may we not look upon that as an intimation, that he would in proceſſe of time reveal himſelf ſavingly unto all the world? Or it may be taken as an argument from the leſſe to the greater, thus; If God hath revealed himſelf unto all the world by the teaching of the Creatures, much more may we think he will doe it by the Goſpel, wherein the glory of God is far more abundantly revealed. And indeed this Expoſition agrees well with the drift of David in this Pſalm, which is to ſhew how much more fully God hath revealed himſelf by his word, then by his works. The ſecond anſwer is, that Paul alledgeth theſe words of the Pſalm only by way of alluſion; as if he had ſaid, Have they not heard? yes verily: what was ſaid by David concerning the preaching of the heavens, may well be ſaid concerning the preaching of the Apoſtles, their ſound went into all the earth, and their words into all the world. And if it be objected, that the Apoſtles had not then preached the Goſpel in all parts of the world, ſince in many places it hath not yet been preached: to this it may be anſwered, 1. that theſe words import no more then what is expreſly ſaid elſewhere, as Col. 1.5, 6. Ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Goſpel, which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and verſ. 23. the Goſpel was preached to every creature which is under heaven: and 2. it was ſufficient to make good theſe words, 1. that the Apoſtles had preached to ſome in a manner of all nations, as it is ſaid Act. 2.5. that there were dwelling at Ieruſalem (when the Apoſtles preached there) Iews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven; 2. that they had preached the Goſpel in the remoteſt parts of the world, that were then known, according to that which is ſaid Luk. 2.1. that there went out a decree from Caeſar Auguſtus that all the world should be taxed; and as for thoſe countries that now know nothing of Chriſt, it may be that they were not then inhabited, or that the ancient inhabitants had the Goſpel preached amongſt them, though now their poſterity have it not; and 3. that however the ſound of their doctrine ſhall goe out even into thoſe parts, where as yet it hath not been preached.
In them hath he ſet a tabernacle for the Sun.] He ſaith a tabernacle, not a houſe, becauſe the Sun is ever in a flitting condition, and never ſtayeth in one place.
Verſ. 5. Which as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, &c.] The Sun is here compared 1. to a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; becauſe when it hath been hid all night in the lower hemiſphere, as in a chamber, it then ariſeth early in the morning gloriouſly adorned with golden and beautifull rayes, as with gorgeous attire, even as a bridegroom decketh himſelf with ornaments, Eſa. 61.10. and that to make the earth his ſpouſe fruitfull with his embraces: and 2. to a ſtrong man which rejoyceth to run a race, that is, which cometh forth with a chearfull and courageous mind to run a race; and that becauſe the Sun ſeems as it were to leap and ſparkle when it riſeth, and doth with admirable ſwiftneſſe run its courſe about that vaſt compaſſe of the heavens, and yet is not wearied. And indeed by the account of the beſt Mathematicians, within the compaſſe of a day and night it paſſeth over one and twenty thouſand and ſix hundred miles of the earth.
Verſ. 6. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, &c.] That is, from the Eaſt it goeth to the Weſt, and ſo round about under the earth to the Eaſt again. Yet ſome conceive that under theſe words (his circuit) the Suns moving Northward and Southward, according to the ſeverall ſeaſons of the year, is alſo comprehended; and that by the ends of the earth may be meant the ſeverall places of the Suns riſing and ſetting. As for the following clauſe, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof, either the meaning is, that there is nothing, neither man nor beaſt, tree nor plant, that can be hid from the ſcorching heat thereof; or that there is nothing ſo deeply hid in the bowels of the earth, which doth not feel the enlivening heat of the Sun, or the effectuall operation thereof.
Verſ. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul, &c.] By the law here is meant the whole word of God, ſee the Note Pſal. 1.2: or the whole doctrine of ſalvation; for any doctrine in Scripture is called law, as the law of works and the law of faith, Philip. 3.27. And it is ſaid to be perfect, becauſe it is faultleſſe, and doth perfectly reveal the will of God in all things neceſſary unto ſalvation. And thus David paſſeth to that which was his chief drift in this Pſalm, namely, to ſhew how far the inſtruction of the word, which God hath afforded his people, doth ſurpaſſe that of the creatures: by the creatures much may be learnt concerning God; but in his word he hath perfectly revealed all things neceſſary unto ſalvation: and it is ſaid to convert or reſtore the ſoul, becauſe it doth reſtore men to life, that were dead in ſin; or generally, becauſe it doth reſtore men to a good condition, that are fallen from the bliſſe of their firſt eſtate, according to that of the Apoſtle Act. 26.18. As for the 2 clauſe, the teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, making wiſe the ſimple, why the word is called the teſtimony of the Lord, ſee in the Note Exod. 25 … 16. And it is ſaid to be ſure, becauſe it is ſo unqueſtionably certain and true; and to make wiſe the ſimple, becauſe thoſe that are of meaneſt capacities may hereby be made wiſe unto ſalvation, if they be humble, and not highly conceited of their own wiſedome; neither is there any true wiſedome in men, till hereby they are made wiſe.
Verſ. 8. The ſtatutes of the Lord are right, &c.] That is, They do clearly and plainly teach men that which is right, and direct them in the right way: the commandement of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes, that is, enlightening men with knowledge, or comforting them in their ſorrows.
Verſ. 9. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever, &c.] If we underſtand this, as ſome do, of that filiall fear of the Lord, which is in all the godly, that is ſaid to be clean, becauſe it purifies mens hearts and waies; and to endure for ever, becauſe even in heaven the Saints ſhall fear and reverence the Lord, or becauſe this fear muſt alwaies be in the people of God, and will bring them unto life eternall. And if we underſtand it of the worſhip of God, that may be called clean, becauſe of the inward and outward purity that God requires in thoſe that ſerve him, and we know it muſt be for ever in the Church of God. But here evidently it is the Word that is called the fear of the Lord. For as God is ſometimes called fear, becauſe he is the object of our fear, as Gen. 31.53. Iacob ſware by the fear of his father Iſaac, and Pſal. 76.11. bring preſents to him that ought to be feared, or to fear, as it is in the Originall; ſo the word or law of God is here called the fear of the Lord, becauſe the law was given with fearfull majeſty, and the Word it is that worketh in men a due fear and reverence of God, and that teacheth men how to worſhip him. And why this may be ſaid to be clean, ſee alſo Pſal. 12.6. As for thoſe words, enduring for ever, they intend, either that the Word is an eternall and unchangeable law, which ſhall alwaies be continued in the Church; or that the truths contained therein ſhall for ever be found ſure and certain, and likewiſe that it is the means to bring men to live for ever in heaven. In the laſt clauſe, the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, the commandments of God are called his judgements, either becauſe they are the commandments of him who is the judge of the world, or becauſe according to them he will judge men, or becauſe of the threatnings of judgements thereto annexed, or becauſe God hath therein declared what he hath judged or determined that men ſhould doe: and they are ſaid to be true and righteous altogether, both to ſignifie that they are all ſuch, and that they are perfectly and exactly ſuch.
Verſ. 10. Sweeter alſo then the honey and the honey comb.] That is, the honey that of its own accord drops from the comb, which is accounted the ſweeteſt.
Verſ. 11. Moreover by them is thy ſervant warned, &c.] To wit, to avoid the ſins he was ſubject to, both in regard of his generall and particular calling, as he was Gods anointed king: and in expreſſing this he tearmeth himſelf Gods ſervant, as rejoycing in his walking in Gods waies, which he had ſaid were ſo delightfull to him. As for the following clauſe, and in keeping of them there is great reward, it may imply 1. that God is wont abundantly to reward all thoſe that ſincerely endeavour to keep his laws; and 2. that the very keeping of them is in it ſelf a reward ſufficient, there being ſo much ſweetneſſe and ſo much of the firſt fruits of life eternall enjoyed therein.
Verſ. 12. Who can underſtand his errours? &c.] This may be inſerted here in reference to ſeverall foregoing paſſages: as that verſ. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect; but, alas, we are ſo far from obſerving it perfectly, that no man can tell how many waies he breaks it: or the words of the foregoing verſe, By thy law I am preſerved from much evil; but, alas, in many things we offend all: They that keep thy law ſhall be richly rewarded; but who can tell how many waies they tranſgreſſe it? ſo that it is thy grace in pardoning my ſins, that I muſt reſt upon, and not mine own righteouſneſſe; and therefore, ſaith he, cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults.
Verſ. 13. Then shall I be innocent, &c.] To wit, if the Lord would preſerve him from ſinning; as he had deſired him to doe in the foregoing words, keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous ſins.
Verſ. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy ſight, &c.] Some underſtand this of his prayers, as if he had ſaid, Let my requeſts, which after due meditation in my heart I pour forth in my prayers, find gracious acceptance with thee. But rather David proceeds ſtill to deſire, that God would preſerve him from ſin, namely, that God would not ſuffer his words or thoughts (and conſequently his deeds alſo) to be any other then ſuch as might pleaſe him. To which purpoſe alſo it is that he gives the Lord in the cloſe of his requeſt thoſe titles, O Lord, my ſtrength and my Redeemer; that is, the God by whom I hope to be ſtrengthened againſt my corruptions, and to be reſcued from the power of my ſpirituall enemies. Yet in theſe words, my Redeemer, he might alſo have reſpect to Gods redemption of his people by Chriſt.